Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Although there are different types of heart disease,
coronary artery disease
(CAD) is the most common. CAD occurs when vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrow. This narrowing happens when fats, cholesterol, and calcium build up on the vessel walls. As the build-up thickens, the vessels become narrower, making it difficult for blood to flow to the heart muscle. This can lead to a
heart attack,
heart failure, or even death.

Cholesterol
receives a lot of attention for being a risk factor for CAD. You may think that if you lower your cholesterol numbers, you will reduce your overall heart disease risk. But focusing only on your cholesterol numbers is a small part of achieving the real goal—lowering your risk of CAD. Beyond the numbers, there are other risk factors that you need to be aware of.

What Are Your Risk Factors for Heart Disease?

There are 2 main types of risk factors for heart disease. There are those that you can change (modifiable) and those that you cannot change (non-modifiable). For example, age is a non-modifiable risk factor. Being older puts you at greater risk for developing CAD, but you cannot prevent aging.
Smoking
also puts you at higher risk for developing heart disease. But this risk factor is modifiable because you can
quit smoking
and lower your risk. Here are more examples of the types:

Modifiable

Cholesterol: One Piece of the Puzzle

Since it is not always possible to see heart disease developing, measuring cholesterol levels is a way for you and your doctor to get an idea of whether heart disease is more likely. But keep in mind that maintaining or achieving ideal cholesterol levels does not mean that you no longer have to worry about a heart attack,
stroke, or heart disease. For instance, a 65-year-old man who is overweight, smokes, and has a family history of heart disease is still at risk of having a heart attack, even if his cholesterol levels are ideal.

Take Action

The great thing about working on
all
of your modifiable risk factors is that many are connected. For example, if you are physically active, not only does the activity lower your risk for heart disease, but it can also lower your weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Here are some things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease:

Exercise

Aim for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week. Some good choices include
walking, cycling, jogging, and
swimming. Add in some strength training for your major muscle groups at least 2 days a week.

Eat a Heart-healthy Diet

Try to include plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains in your diet. A
healthy diet
should include foods that are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat, sugar, and salt. Also, limiting your total calories to a reasonable amount is important.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Everyone’s body is different. A healthy weight for one person may not be healthy for another person. One thing is certain: too much weight can increase your risk of heart disease. Eating healthy and exercising can remove obesity as a risk factor.

Do Not Smoke

Do not smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about ways to quit. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for heart disease. Non-smokers should also avoid second-hand smoke.

Limit Your Alcohol

Limit your alcohol
to a moderate level. This means 2 or fewer drinks per day for men and 1 drink for women. One drink equals a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.

Keep Cholesterol Low

If you have high cholesterol, do not just try to lower the number. Instead, focus on lowering your risk for heart disease. Exercise raises your HDL (good) cholesterol level. Decreasing your intake of saturated fat lowers your LDL (bad) cholesterol. Changes in both numbers helps make you healthier overall.

Medication may be needed for some people.
Statins
are one type of drug that not only lower cholesterol, but also lower heart disease risk in some people. Statins should be used along with healthy lifestyle habits. If you are prescribed a statin and your cholesterol numbers improve, this does not mean that you should be sedentary and eat whatever you want. You will still need to focus on other modifiable risk factors.

Keep Blood Pressure Under Control

If you have high blood pressure, work to get it under control. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and not drinking alcohol are just some ways to help control your blood pressure. Some people will also need to take medication.

Manage Diabetes

If you have diabetes, it is important to keep it under control. Eating well, exercising, and taking medication can help with this. If you do not have diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight will help lower your chance of developing diabetes.

The Total Picture

Decreasing your risk for heart disease means more than just achieving normal cholesterol levels—it means addressing all modifiable risk factors. Practicing a healthy lifestyle is key to reducing many of the risk factors for heart disease. Work with your doctor to develop a plan that is right for you. This will ensure that you are doing all you can to keep your heart healthy.

How does smoking affect the heart and blood vessels? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/smo. Updated December 20, 2011. Accessed April 16, 2015.

How much physical activity do you need? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/index.html. Updated April 25, 2014. Accessed April 15, 2015.

What is cholesterol? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbc. Updated September 19, 2012. Accessed April 15, 2015.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.